


The Hero's Return

by LiveLaughLoveLarry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Ancient History, Ancient Rome, Bottom Louis, Inspired by Real Events, M/M, My First Smut, Smut, Top Harry, it felt weird tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-24
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-19 11:18:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5965369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLoveLarry/pseuds/LiveLaughLoveLarry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Roman Empire was divided into two parts by <em>pomerium,</em> the sacred boundary of the city. Outside of the city was <em>militia</em>, the area of war and conquest. Within was <em>domus</em>, the area of home. But Louis’ home was not the city. It was not the battlefields. It was not marching down the streets to cheering crowds, or a grand villa, or a warm bed and good food. Louis’ home was green eyes and long brown hair and a smile that dimpled.<br/>Or, Louis is a Roman general returning from a grand victory. Harry is his home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Hero's Return

**Author's Note:**

> I was in Classical Studies class and the chant "Caesar may have conquered the Gauls, but Nicomedes conquered Caesar" came up, sung about Julius Caesar's alleged affair with Nicomedes of Bithynia by some of Caesar's soldiers during the victory parade after the Gallian defeat, and I suddenly needed it as an HL AU.  
> All errors are mine. All info is from my first year Classical Studies course. And Google. Add to the list of things I never thought I'd Google: Ancient Rome lube, olive oil sex

Louis waved from his chariot as it rolled through the streets of Rome. Thousands of onlookers waved back, cheering wildly. They called his name, sang his praises. Louis smiled – who wouldn’t have, at such a reception? He searched the many faces for one in particular, not really expecting to find it but hoping. He didn't see it, but he knew it was out there somewhere.

It was late when Louis finally retired for the night. His men had insisted on an enormous celebratory feast, and he could hardly refuse. The drinking went on late into the night, until everyone was rosy-cheeked and merry, singing gaily to raunchy ballads and laughing. Only when the men began to slowly trickle off into the night, those who remained too inebriated to be coherent, was Louis able to slip away.

The house he entered was small, not what one would expect of a triumphant general newly returned from a major victory. But then, it wasn’t really his house. His house was in a different part of the city, full of servants and elaborate mosaics and expensive trinkets. It was the family home, and Louis loved it, but it wasn’t _his_ home. It wasn’t where he wanted to be.

“How was the party?” a low voice asked as Louis unlaced his sandals.

Louis’ fingers stilled, but he didn’t startle or look up. “I told you not to wait up for me,” he said, but his voice was soft and held no bite.

“And I told you I would,” the voice replied.

Louis smiled. He was pleased, even if he would never have asked for it. He looked up just in time to see a familiar face emerge from the shadows of the hallway. It was dark, the only light that of the moon and the stars, but the green eyes were bright, and Louis could easily see the wide smile that slowly spread across the face.

"Harry," Louis breathed, a smile spreading across his own face. He stood, walking over to Harry, his half-undone sandals completely forgotten. Harry rested his hands on Louis’ hips, and Louis carded his through Harry’s long hair, and for a moment they simply looked at each other, reveling in the sight of each other after so many months apart. 

Then Harry leaned down, pressing their lips together, and Louis eagerly welcomed the kiss. His mouth opened and he licked into Harry’s mouth, tasting olives on his tongue. Louis sighed happily. He had missed this, while he’d been away. It had been a long time, and he had missed this terribly, missed _Harry_.

As if reading his mind, Harry wrapped his arms tighter around Louis, pulling him closer, their bodies pressing flush against one another. Louis' breath hitched, and he felt as though his chest would burst. When he could bear it no longer, he broke the kiss, breathing hard against Harry's neck. Harry barely paused, his lips moving to trace along Louis' jawbone and along his neck. Louis moaned, the sound ringing loud in the darkness and silence.

"Bed?" Louis whispered, his voice husky and low.

Harry smiled, his teeth gleaming in the darkness, and a shiver ran down Louis' spine. "I thought you'd never ask."

Louis followed Harry down the hall to the small sleeping room, their hands clasped so tightly that it almost ached, but despite the discomfort, Louis had no wish to relax his grip. The pressure of their clasped hands was much less painful than the long months they had been apart. A lit candle sat on a table beside the bed, next to a small amphora of olive oil.

Louis turned back to Harry and their lips met again, sweet and gentle and soft, but Louis could feel the urgency in Harry's fingers as they unhooked his belt. A moment later it fell away, and Louis tugged Harry towards the bed. Harry followed eagerly, dropping the rich belt with a clatter. They fell heavily onto the cushions as Louis pulled the rope around Harry's tunic free, tossing it aside.

They lay like that for a moment, just kissing, their hands tracing each other's faces and torsos. When they shifted closer, the soft brush of their clothed bodies made them both gasp. Harry lifted himself up, almost towering over Louis. He slowly slid the tunic up Louis' thighs and chest and Louis shivered, partly from the cool air and partly from excitement and anticipation.

"Off," he whispered, and Harry nodded and pulled it over Louis' head in a single smooth motion. Louis leaned up to kiss him again as he slid his own fingers under the hem of Harry's tunic, sliding it up until they had to pull apart to push it over Harry's head.

They were both panting slightly, and Louis' cock was _aching_ with want and need and desire. "Please," he said, and Harry nodded again and reached for the amphora on the table.

He poured a liberal amount onto his hand, rubbing it into his fingers. Then, never breaking eye contact, he lowered his hand and slowly slipped a single finger inside Louis.

Louis' back arched, and Harry's low, rumbling laugh carried through the room.

"Always so eager," he purred.

Louis' breath came in short pants. "Want you," he said. "Always want you."

Harry's smile was soft as he slipped in another long finger. "I know," he said. "And you have me." He worked his fingers gently inside Louis, opening him up wider.

Louis scrabbled at the cushions, almost incoherent except for "yes" and "please" and "more."

" _Harry_ ," he finally gasped with concerted effort. "Need you inside. _Now_."

And Harry laughed again, but he couldn't conceal the rush of desire that rolled through him at Louis' pleading, his voice already wrecked. He poured more oil into his hand, coating his dick with a thin layer, and then set the amphora aside.

" _Harry_ ," Louis said again, his voice thick with want.

Harry pressed a soft kiss to the tip of Louis' cock, hard and pink and already leaking all over his stomach. Then he moved up to kiss his mouth, swallowing all the beautiful little noises he made as Harry slowly pressed into him.

They were still for a moment, the only sound their ragged breathing and their loose, wet kisses. Then Louis shifted deliberately under Harry, encouraging him, and so Harry began to move again. He built up toward a steady rhythm of thrusts, gently pushing in and pulling out of Louis’ warm body. Their chests heaved and Louis could barely see against the starry bursts of white pleasure that exploded across his vision with every thrust of Harry’s hips. Warmth slowly curled in his stomach, and it was so good, _Harry_ was so good..

Harry's movements grew more erratic, his arms trembling slightly. " _Louis_ ," he gasped, and the sound of his name falling from Harry's swollen lips pushed Louis over the edge. His back arched and his body shook with the kind of pleasure he hadn't felt in months. He dug his fingernails into Harry's back as he came, and with a low moan Harry collapsed against his chest, shaking with his own orgasm.

They breathed together for a long minute as they came down from their respective highs. Louis eventually slipped gentle fingers under Harry's face, lifting him up to look at him. He was so beautiful, Louis couldn’t help thinking. He wondered, not for the first time, how he ever managed to go without this when he was away on campaigns. "Hey," he whispered, running his thumb along Harry’s cheek. "I love you."

Harry nodded, swallowing hard. "I love you," he echoed. "So much."

Louis pressed their lips together for a moment, and then Harry carefully sat up, pulling out of Louis and leaving an emptiness that ached almost as much as the fullness ever could.

"D'you want to clean up?" Louis asked softly.

Harry shook his head. "In the morning," he said, blowing out the candle. "Just want you tonight."

He lay down facing Louis, and they wrapped their arms around each other so that it was impossible to tell where one of them ended and the other began, their breaths mixing in the space between them.


End file.
